Objectives

Mindfulness meditation (MM) practice is considered to benefit physical and mental health. In particular, several studies have shown a beneficial effect of MM practice on memory performance. However, it is still not clear how long-term training affects long-term declarative memory. In this study we aimed to examine whether long-term MM training impacts declarative memory formation for diverse memoranda types, as well as the role of trait mindfulness, and the possible mediating role of anxiety.

Methods

We examined long-term memory performance in 23 experienced MM practitioners and 22 meditation-naïve age-matched individuals, by administering a variety of declarative memory tests, ranging from item recognition to narrative and autobiographical memory recollection and future projection. The participants also filled the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).

Results

Compared to the control group, long-term MM practitioners exhibited heightened memory performance for the picture recognition test and experienced enhanced vividness during autobiographic memory retrieval and future simulations. We also report a significant trait mindfulness and memory performance correlation, stemming exclusively from the Mm group.

Conclusions

Our findings extend previous reports of the beneficial effect of a short-term MM training on memory performance, by showing the beneficial effect of long-term training on declarative memory. We also provide initial evidence that trait mindfulness is positively correlated with declarative memory performance, as a function of MM practice, and discuss these findings in light of the role of self-mode and cognitive diffusion, as well as attention and emotion.

中文翻译：

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增强长期正念练习者的陈述性记忆

目标

正念冥想 (MM) 练习被认为有益于身心健康。特别是，一些研究表明 MM 练习对记忆性能有有益的影响。然而，目前尚不清楚长期训练如何影响长期陈述性记忆。在本研究中，我们旨在检验长期 MM 训练是否影响不同备忘录类型的陈述性记忆形成，以及特质正念的作用，以及焦虑的可能中介作用。

方法

我们检查了 23 名经验丰富的 MM 从业者和 22 名未接触过冥想的年龄匹配个体的长期记忆表现，方法是进行各种陈述性记忆测试，范围从项目识别到叙述和自传体记忆回忆以及未来预测。参与者还填写了五面正念问卷 (FFMQ) 和状态特质焦虑量表 (STAI)。

结果

与对照组相比，长期的 MM 从业者在图片识别测试中表现出更高的记忆力，并且在自传记忆检索和未来模拟中体验到更高的生动度。我们还报告了显着的特质正念和记忆表现相关性，这完全源于 Mm 组。

结论

我们的发现通过显示长期训练对陈述性记忆的有益作用，扩展了之前关于短期 MM 训练对记忆表现有益作用的报告。我们还提供了初步证据表明特质正念与陈述性记忆表现呈正相关，作为 MM 实践的函数，并根据自我模式和认知扩散以及注意力和情绪的作用讨论这些发现。